Despite looking at five incidents from Saturday’s Queenscliff-Ocean Grove clash, AFL Barwon’s Match Review Panel has laid a lone charge.
The Grubbers, who questioned the Coutas’ physicality after the game, asked the Match Review Panel to scrutinise four incidents from their narrow win at Queenscliff Recreation Reserve.
Only one – rough conduct by Queenscliff youngster Will Baker on Ocean Grove ruck Jacob Talarico – brought a penalty.
The MRP assessed Baker’s conduct as careless, low impact, and high contact. Baker has accepted a reprimand with an early guilty plea.
An alleged knee to the head of Grubbers veteran Jye Walker from Jayden Durran, front-on contact by veteran Couta Jake Hedley on Kirby Reilly, and high contact on Reilly by Sol Bowtell were all deemed not reportable.
Both incidents involving Reilly resulted in free kicks.
A high bump by Coutas captain Caleb Whitley on Kye Annand, who was hospitalised following the game with a lacerated kidney in a separate incident, was referred by the umpires.
Annand has since been released from hospital but is unlikely to play again this season, with recovery expected to take 12 weeks.
Meanwhile, Anglesea’s Max Simpson has escaped with a reprimand for a dangerous tackle on Barwon Heads’ Lachie Wilson in the third quarter of the Roos’ win at Ellimatta Reserve.
The incident was assessed following a request by the Seagulls.
Newcomb star Jack Duke had no case to answer after he was looked at for an alleged incident with Portarlington’s Kelly Pickard in Power’s loss to the Demons at Grinter Reserve.
Lara will be without the experienced Josh Smith for meetings with Bell Park and St Albans after he accepted a two-match suspension.
Smith was cited for a late bump on Geelong West’s Jamieson Ballantyne in the second quarter of the Giants’ win at Bisinella Oval.
The incident was assessed as careless conduct, high contact, and high impact, drawing a three-match suspension. Smith’s early guilty plea has reduced the penalty by one week.
Also in the GFNL, a melee from the Cats-Giants clash, and a collision involving an unknown Bell Park player and South Barwon talisman Jack Driver resulted in no charges being laid.
In the GDFNL, Anakie’s Jordan Wilkinson will roll the dice at the tribunal after being cited for a dangerous tackle on Thomson milestone man Sam Jacka.
Wilkinson was offered a one-match suspension with an early guilty plea for a dangerous tackle on the Tigers’ 250-gamer in the third quarter of the Roos’ loss at Godfrey Street.
The MRP assessed two incidents from Inverleigh’s thrilling win over North Geelong at Keith Barclay Oval.
A free kick for a late bump by Magpie John Fazio on Hawk Curtis Young was deemed appropriate.
A dangerous tackle by an unknown Inverleigh player on North’s Aaron Beecroft was cleared due to insufficient vision.
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